Restoration: A Matter of Perspective

Dawn

photo source

There is no life, no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

- Brendan Graham

...no matter what we have achieved or attained in our life,
we still find ourselves burrowing deep within,
trying to assuage the hungers of our soul.
- Ravi Zacharias




Meaninglessness does not come from being weary of pain.
Meaninglessness comes from being weary of pleasure.
- G.K. Chesterton




The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying:

"I have loved you with an everlasting love;

I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

I will build you up again,

and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt.

Again you will take up your timbrels

and go out to dance with the joyful.

Again you will plant vineyards

on the hills of Samaria;

the farmers will plant them

and enjoy their fruit.

There will be a day when watchmen cry out

on the hills of Ephraim,

'Come, let us go up to Zion,

to the Lord our God.'"

-Jeremiah 31:3-6

In just a few more days, January will come to an end. This will probably be my last post for this month, so I take this opportunity to write about some of the things that have been on my heart these past weeks.

This is the year I celebrate my 60th year of life.

It has been said that life begins at 40. I think I understand why... because at 40 one has learned invaluable life lessons, and still has enough years ahead to apply those lessons by planting new seeds and then looking forward to harvesting a new crop. 

But when I turned 40, Ernie and I were in the midst of a financial reversal. I was in too much pain to even remember that my life was supposed to begin anew... at a higher level.

Choices are never made in a vacuum. Sooner or later the consequences of our choices, whether good or bad, catch up with us. Choices are like seeds planted in the soil of opportunity - there always comes a time of reaping what we have sown. It is also true that some of these consequences are harvested, not in our generation, but in the next. 

I impact my generations with every single choice I make.

When I turned 40, Ernie and I were reaping some painful consequences of bad choices we have made earlier in life. True, some of those choices were made by my husband, some by me. Yet some of them were also made by others.

Nevertheless, even if some of the choices that led us to our rock bottom were not all made by us, still we were very much affected by the consequences... like being caught in the middle of a crossfire, or a series of events over which we had no control, leading to a downfall. 

The beauty at the end of it all is the truth that when God is in the picture, He redeems us from the outcome of wrong choices affecting us, whether they be direct consequences of bad decisions done by us, or indirect consequences of other people's wrong choices. What the enemy meant for evil, God turns around for good.

Looking back, I can say that my life did begin at 40.

And now, twenty years later... I am reaching another milestone in my life.

Life begins at 60.

Physically, I am in the autumn of my life, my sunset years, but really I feel like there is still so much life inside of me. In some ways, I actually sense that a new life for me is just about to begin.

There is still so much that I want to happen in the remaining years of my life.

Much of it is not clearly defined in terms of measurable goals. But it feels like there is a fountain of spiritual energy bubbling up within.

I'm not really a "driven" kind of person. I like to do things slowly, deliberately, carefully. But these past weeks, I have sensed an inner push driving me to move forward, reclaiming territory that the enemy has stolen, and blazing new trails into uncharted lands.

Yes, there is an inner sense of excitement.

  

One of my favorite Scripture passages is found in Jeremiah 33:3. The Amplified Version renders it beautifully:

Call to Me and I will answer you 

and show you great and mighty things,

fenced in and hidden,

which you do not know (do not distinguish and recognize,

have knowledge of and understand).

In the first few days of 2013, the new year greetings I wished many of my friends were blessings of joy, wonder, and delight. As far as I remember, this was the first time I ever asked God to give my friends and loved ones a year filled with wonder and delight. The greeting just flowed out of my subconscious.

Now I understand. As I have called upon God to bring me to a new level of knowing Him, and "seeing" Him, He is putting a hunger and longing in my heart for the unsearchable, unfathomable, heretofore fenced in and hidden, things of His heart.

I love to read. And as I read, certain nouns, verbs, and adjectives cause me to pause and take notice each time I come across them. 

Unfolding...

Serendipity...

Epiphany...

Sublime...

Beholding...

The revealing of something previously unnoticed.

The discovery of a truth once hidden.

Arriving at a new level of understanding.

Looking at a past painful event from a different perspective.

In Revelation 21:5 God says, "Behold, I am making all things new."

Behold.

The Hebrew word for it is hineni, a word packed with so much beauty and meaning. It is a heart response to the God who is always asking, ayyeh.

Where are you? God asks. We come across this the first time in Genesis 3:9, when God came to the garden, looking for Adam.

Adam was hiding, but he could never hide from God. Of course God knew where Adam was. And the same is true of you and me. God knows exactly where we are.

God is always asking us this question, and the answer He expects does not refer to a geographical location. The question is not about a physical location, but about a relationship... our relationship with Him.

In effect, God asks, "Where are you in relation to Me?"

The answer is not so much for Him as it is for us. God is calling us out from where we are hiding, and into the light of His presence.

To the Biblical mind man is not only a creature who is constantly in search of himself but also a creature God is constantly in search of. Man is a creature in search of meaning because there is a meaning in search of him, because there is God's beseeching question, 'Where art thou?' (Abraham Heschel, Between God and Man)

This is a sobering thought for me, that God always wants to know where I am. Otherwise, what does it matter what happens to me? Who cares? 

If there is no God, and there is no heaven, and no meaningful eternity to look forward to, then why bother to live at all?

But no. There is a God who cares, a God who wants to know where we are, at any given time. 

And the only suitable answer to God's question is, Hineni. "Here I am."

Hineni. Here I stand... before You.

Hineni. Here I am, ready to do as You want.

Hineni. Here I am, send me.

Hineni. Here I am, speak Lord, for your servant is listening.

When I answer, Hineni, then I am in the right place before Him. Then new truths can unfold before me. 

I receive fresh revelation... a new level of understanding... and looking at the past, present, and future events of my life from a redeemed perspective.

Life gains a whole new meaning... and the future is mine for the taking!

I can choose which of the many battles confronting me are worth fighting. And which of the many options before me are the right ones.

I believe one does not have to reach the ripe old age of 60 to start thinking this way.

Yesterday morning, I woke up early to prepare a beautiful breakfast for Obedient One and me. We had fresh fruit, oatmeal, banana-walnut bread, sunny side up eggs, coconut jam, honey, and creamy kefir. She was running late and missed her car pool. As a consequence, she had two options to get to work: by train, or by taxi.

If she decided to go by train, at that hour the lines were very long. If she decided to go by taxi, not only was the traffic heavy, she would also have to pay more.

She was in a grumbling mood. A beautiful Monday morning, with a delicious breakfast in front of her, and she was not doing too well.

I ignored her negative comments and kept quiet.

After a long pause, I gently spoke to her... my motherly words of wisdom:

"Dear daughter, it is just the first hour of your day, do your eyes not see such a beautiful breakfast in front of you? Do you remember when you were little, each morning I would wake you up with these words, 'Smile, dear daughter! Give Jesus a big smile!' And you would burst into a grin. Even then it was my way of infusing joy into your heart, to prepare you for the long day ahead, tackling your schoolwork, quite a heavy load for a little girl to carry. Today, nothing has really changed. It is still a joyful and thankful heart, a matter of perspective, that will help carry us through another day. It is all a matter of perspective."

I guess she got the point... and we ate breakfast together, in silence. 

She decided to go by train after all.

I prayed for her, my precious "baby" girl, now a young woman... Only the Father has complete access to her heart. Give her a glimpse of the beauty of Your heart, dear God. When she came home from work last night, she was in high spirits. I discerned something had changed in her heart.

God is the God who is always doing something new. He is the God who restores, refills, replenishes, and renews. The enemy will cripple and maim... but God opens our eyes to see the beauty hidden beneath the difficult and painful circumstances of our lives.

It is all a matter of perspective.


Every month this year, my 60th year, I will share a lesson life has taught me.

For this month, it's all about Perspective.

Age, they say, is a state of mind. As I advance in years, I want my spirit to be growing younger.

I want my age to be measured in terms of kairos, not chronos.

I want to enter the next level of my life and conquer new territories, not in fear and trepidation, but with a sense of expectancy, enthusiasm, and eagerness.

How I look forward to this, the 60th year of my life! Of course there will be a celebration - to which many of my friends and loved ones who have been a part of my story will be invited.

After all, one turns 60 only once. 

Hineni. Here I am Lord. 

Open my eyes to see the beauty, the wonder, and the delight of what You are doing in my life!


Below are a couple of pictures I have taken of beautiful flowers in my father's garden:

Sharing twelve life lessons on my 60th year:

February 2013 - Authenticity: A Matter of Trust

March 2013 - Celebration: A Way of Life

April 2013 - Relinquishment: A Journey of Faith

May 2013 - Abiding: The Anatomy of a Birthday

June 2013 - Exchange: My Weakness for His Strength

July 2013 - Divine Appointments: God's Surprise Visits

August 2013 - Worship: Hidden Riches in Secret Places

September 2013 - Longing for Things Unseen: Escape from Reality

October 2013 - God's Favor: A Season of Replacement

November 2013 - Honor: Creating Space

December 2013 - Sanctuary: Where God Dwells

The Midnight Hour

January 15, 2013 sunrise

photo taken by Obedient One on board flight bound for Manila

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, 

and the prisoners were listening to them.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake,

so that the foundations of the prison were shaken;

and immediately all the doors were opened

and everyone's chains were loosed.

- Acts 16:25-26




So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD,
His going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth.
- Hosea 6:3

The holidays are over. Obedient One and I arrived in Manila early Tuesday morning. At the baggage claim, we waited a long time for our third suitcase to appear on the conveyor until we were the only ones left. There was a similar suitcase going around, but it was not ours. We then realized that someone had picked up my daughter's bag by mistake.

The airport personnel were quick to assist us. They checked the tag, identified the owner, and called him on his mobile phone. Fortunately he picked up his phone, and was informed of the mix-up. That was the only time he realized he had taken the wrong bag.

After an hour of waiting, Obedient One finally had her own suitcase back. Because of the delay, we were caught in the morning rush hour when people were on their way to work. We reached our home at about 10 a.m.

Come to think of it, the delay was a small price to pay in exchange for recovering a lost bag. Things could have been worse. I was truly thankful that heavenly Father had His eyes on us, and didn't allow us to suffer loss. Another thing I was grateful for was the fact that my dear friend Rosemarie had sent her driver and Ford Expedition to pick us up from the airport. Despite the heavy traffic, we were very comfortable as we made our way through the clogged avenues leading to our home.

But really, losing a suitcase... being stuck in heavy traffic... what are they compared to the more weighty matters pertaining to one's eternal destiny?

Nevertheless, I am amazed at the goodness of God in taking care of those things for His children. He knows... He cares. He stoops down to where we are.

Taking a look at the circumstances of my own life, I am always reminded that I am so dependent on God... for everything. He alone knows the many concerns that I lift up to Him on a daily basis.

And He wants me to deepen my understanding of His ultimate agenda. To live every minute of my life in the light of His kingdom reign.

How easy it is to be sidetracked, or lose one's focus.

As Neville Johnson reminds us: "The past year has been a year of cascading events that will continue to shape the prophetic, political, and economic landscape. We are now on the final lap of the race that will ultimately lead to the final harvest and the return of Jesus. To be alive in this hour is a great privilege which we must not waste." 

A great privilege which we must not waste.

These words tug at my heartstrings.

There is much truth to be learned, to be digested, to be understood, and lived out.

In September of 2012, Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) ushered in the year 5773 in the Hebraic calendar, the year we now are in.

The year '73' is ayin gimel in the Hebrew alphabet: ayin is the sixteenth letter having a numeric value of 70, while gimel is the third letter and has a numeric value of 3.

Ayin means "eye" - to see, and by connotation, to understand and to obey.  

Every decade has an overarching theme, and three years ago we entered the decade of ayin, what prophets call "The Seeing Years."

We are not just entering a new season, we are entering a new era... an era when God will not let His glory remain hidden any longer, but will choose to reveal it to those who have the eyes to see what the Father is doing, and the ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

Just as Moses turned to "see" the fire in the burning bush, and then had an encounter with the Living God, so is the Father calling forth His deliverers from the wilderness, who will turn to "see" ... and hear... then do as He says.

The Lord is calling forth His deliverers to set His people free from the cruel taskmasters of complacency, materialism, self-righteousnessness, deception, and unbelief.

Moses was brought up in the palace of Pharaoh and therefore understood the protocol of kings.

Indeed, he was destined to stand before kings.

But Moses needed to spend time in the wilderness to form his character... to give him a heart of humility... before he could be trusted to release the miracles.

Wilderness time, character formation, is essential that the eyes of our understanding be opened and we become the vessels through which God's miracles will be released.

During this decade, God is calling His people to prepare themselves and be ready for the next great move of His Spirit.

Number 3 in the Hebrew alphabet is gimel, symbolic of the camel. Camels are burden bearing beasts able to tolerate the desert heat and go for many days without water.

For many of us, the past year has been one of desert hardship, in more ways than one. But in the Father's plan, it was the wilderness of heart preparation.

During ayin gimel, the Father wants to show His faithfulness of provision and release to those who will remain faithful to press on despite the heat and the dryness.

I want to be found faithful despite the difficulties and the uncertainties of life.

I want to see the new things that the Father is showing.

I want to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

The year 2013 is prophesied to be a year of:

- darkness and light
- the goodness and the severity of the Lord
- the maturing of both good and evil
- a release of the Lord's favor, together with His judgment

As a church we need to have a single eye, not blinded by offense, wrong priorities, or unbelief, but to  see clearly, that we  all may move as one into the new era, the final lap of the race that will ultimately lead to the end time harvest and the return of Jesus.



The past weeks I have had to constantly come before God to repent for not putting my priorities in order. There is a call for simplicity, for consistency, for re-ordering of my priorities, for more intensive praying, and digging more deeply into His word.

This morning in Victory Fellowship I was once again convicted by the words of Pastor Edgar.

Battered and bruised from severe beating, imprisoned, and in chains for delivering a woman from the spirit of divination, Paul and Silas were not focusing on their sad fate. They were praising and worshiping God at the top of their voices.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake,

so that the foundations of the prison were shaken;

and immediately all the doors were opened

and everyone's chains were loosed.

Earthquakes are rather normal in Macedonia, but what was beyond normal was the timing of this particular earthquake, its intensity, and its location.

In response to the heartfelt worship of Paul and Silas, God sends an earthquake that opens their prison doors, and unshackles them, as well as all the other prisoners around them, from their chains!

And they were not even asking to be set free...

Several words strike me in this story...

At midnight.

Suddenly.

Immediately.

In the darkness of our midnight hour, God is waiting for the right response... a response from the heart.

God shakes things in our lives that He may open our prison doors, and unshackle us from our chains.

The time is over for "church as usual." God is bringing us to a deeper dimension of kingdom living. As Paul says, "The night is far spent, the day is at hand." (Romans 13:12)


Father, I want my life to be a reflection of my worship to You. 

My physical circumstances may move or shake me, but in my spirit, I want to remain steadfast and anchored in You alone. 

Open the eyes of my understanding that I may see You, and hear You, and act accordingly... 

as a deliverer setting the captives free... 

as a bride longing for the return of her Bridegroom.

You hear the cry of my spirit, the desire of my heart.

You understand.






Some recent pictures of the Women of Purpose retreat:

At Starbucks, waiting for the rest of the group

At Jing's beach house in Miranda

Dusk at Miranda Beach

photo taken by Lidia on January 11, 2013

Neville Johnson, The Year Ahead

Melissa Flores, Defining Words

Lisa Butler, New Wells in the Year of Ayin

My Philippines: Hope Shines

Sunrise

photo source

I remain confident of this:

I will see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living.

- Psalm 27:13

Weeping may tarry for the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

- Psalm 30:5

As the New Year begins, I am encouraged to see many answers to the prayers and faith declarations that countless prophetic intercessors for the Philippines have sown through the years.

We are a nation of seven thousand, one hundred seven islands, the second largest archipelago in the world.

Once called "the sick man of Asia," we are now on our way to becoming the fifth "Asian tiger".

Yes, the Philippines is on the upswing, and the world is beginning to take notice.

If you believe in what the Lord is doing in answer to heartfelt prayers, please continue to pray for our nation. 

Below is a video that will encourage your hearts. Thank you for investing your time to view it.

The Philippines Moves Forward (Vimeo HD version)

A Fresh Start

Therefore, they shall come and sing in the height of Zion,

And shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord,

For wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young,

for the young of the flock and of the herd;

And their soul shall be as a watered garden;

And they shall not sorrow anymore at all.

-Jeremiah 31:12

"All flesh is grass
And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever."

Behold, the LORD GOD shall come with a strong hand,
And His arm shall rule for Him;
Behold, His reward is with Him,
And His work before Him.
He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those that are with young.
- Isaiah 40:8, 10-11




And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide:
and he lifted up his eyes,
and saw, behold, the camels were coming.
- Genesis 24:63

December was quite an interesting month for me. She came rushing in, but left so quietly.

As I had written in my Christmas Day post, I returned from Manila on the 1st of December... then the events just sort of came running in, one after the other.

The painful experience I had on Christmas Eve was used by God to speak an important message to me. Writing my thoughts down did help me understand why I reacted the way I did. The tears that I shed helped to bring not only cleansing but also refreshing and healing to my frayed emotions. (Christmas Day post: Reality Check)

I almost did not join our family for breakfast that morning. But something told me I had to battle my desire to hide my tears. So I washed my face, put on a beautiful blouse, and sat down to eat breakfast with my family. 

God-given had prepared a lovely Christmas Day lunch for all of us. Again, I was tempted to stay in my room. But that same inner voice prompted me to go to their house next door and let my presence as head of our family "grace" the special occasion.

After lunch, I went back to my room and more tears fell.

It was actually a sacred moment for me... so I didn't really want to draw others in my family into that experience. I knew that they cared... but they wouldn't really understand.

When Obedient One saw my puffy eyes still wet with tears, she scolded me, saying, "Mom, you have often taught us that getting hurt is a choice that we make."

My reply to her came quickly. "Yes, dear daughter, you are right. In this case however, I am dealing with a wound that is still fresh and painful. Whether I like it or not, time is needed for it to heal."

Even I was surprised by my words. What I said brought a ray of understanding to my heart.

The wound was not a result of a deliberate act, something that is true with the many wounds that life gives us. 

But we do have an important choice to make when wounding comes. Keep it hidden and unprocessed, or bring it to the Father and let Him deal with it. 

I did not expect others to understand what I was feeling. And I chose not to blame anyone for what happened. 

Heavy rains fell over our city the day after Christmas. Early morning of December 27, I went to the garden and saw this beautiful sight: 

my miniature rose that was in the process of unfolding its petals. Its quiet, unassuming beauty and simple elegance brought such a delight to my heart.

What a tender moment it was for me. I sensed my heavenly Father's embrace.

I realized that the pain in my heart was no longer there.

The wound did not fester, and the enemy was not able to infect it. A clean wound heals quickly... and I realize that that was what happened to me.

God enlarged my heart that early morning, right there in that garden, where the rains had softened the ground all around, and brought such a refreshment to my plants.

"This is a picture of what I did to your heart. The enemy meant it for evil... but I turned it around for good." I sensed that this was what the Father was saying to me.

On the last day of the year, God surprised me again. I went to my garden and saw three yellow flowers that had also just opened that morning. As far as I know, this is the very first time that this plant flowered, I don't even know what it's called.

How personally God speaks to me! Whenever He wants to relay an important message, He does it through flowers. What a message of hope these flowers brought to my heart. An assurance that my heavenly Father was doing something beautiful in my life.

December 2012 came rushing in... but gently said good-bye to me. The Father makes all things beautiful... in His time.

I really was at a loss for words as December came to an end.

I invited First Born and his family to join us for breakfast that morning. Then Obedient and I went to the grocery to buy some ingredients for the vegetable salad and chocolate fondue and fruit platter that I was preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner that evening. 

This meal was special because it was going to be the last meal for 2012. I knew it was symbolic of how faithfully God had provided for all our needs the past twelve months, and this meal was also a harbinger of the good things God had in store for us in 2013.

Chosen One prepared French onion soup, Worshiper grilled prime rib. God given did the French fries and vegetable sticks to add to our fondue platter. It was a lovely family meal, and my heart was not burdened with any expectations. I just wanted to be a blessing... motherly love and understanding to flow from my heart to everyone - whether they were aware of it or not.

After dinner, we had our New Year's Eve family picture taking. Then First Born and his family left to spend the rest of the evening with God given's family. At the stroke of twelve, Worshiper, Chosen One, Madora (Chosen One's mom), Obedient, and I drank some wine to welcome the New Year. We gathered in a circle as Worshiper thanked God for the year just ended and prayed for Him to rain down His abundant blessings on us again for the next twelve months.

At sundown of the first day of the new year, we visited Ernie's grave. Obedient One, Worshiper and I sat on the grass for a few minutes, while Chosen One stayed in the car with Elijah, who had fallen asleep on our way to the memorial park. It was good to just sit there, as the stars were slowly becoming visible in the early evening sky. A cool breeze was blowing.

There can be no doubt about it, my name for December is Cleansing.

God is always inviting us to move up to the next level of our destiny. He doesn't want us to stay stuck -- in our comfort zones, or in our unhealed wounds! He doesn't want us to drive our stakes too deep, because at any given moment, His cloud will move, and we have to be ready to follow where He leads.

On December 30, the last Sunday of 2012, the Scripture passage printed on our church bulletin was taken from Isaiah 43:18-19.

Forget the former things;

do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

This was clearly God's word for me for 2013. A new thing... a fresh start.

"Last year, the winnower was at work, sifting the chaff from the wheat."

The kernel is encased in a hard shell while it grows, but when it matures, the very shell that protected it becomes useless. It has turned to chaff, and must be shaken off, and discarded.

What is it that I am holding on to... the seeming solid things that meant so much to me? Could it be that in this season, these have turned to chaff, and I need to let go of them?

Unrelenting at times, the ruach has tempered your faith and has given you new perspective. Yesterday's sweet spot is today's chaff. What protected and nurtured you in times past will be separated from you in the day of sifting. Only after experiencing the winnower's wind can you be ready for inclusion in the next chapter of Father's plan. 

Sifting differentiates between what is worthless and what is of value. Many in Father's house are feeling quite worthless because the wind has blown away what they found central to their identity. Something have departed that once gave us a sense of great significance. Perhaps you have drawn your identity from a particular assignment, ministry, relationship or season of past success? Much has blown away in the winds of 5772. Chaff has value and purpose, in its season. Wisdom beckons us to recognize the seasonal quality of what or who has exited your life in the sifting. (Defining Words)

In the Hebrew calendar, we are in the year 5773, the year of the camel, or ayin gimel. The Hebrew word gimel means camel, as well as the number '3'. It also stands for the Third Person of the Trinity. The wise men came to Jesus on camels laden with gifts and provision, so did the servant Eliezar, when he was sent to look for a wife for Isaac. And Rebekah came to Isaac, riding on a camel.

God has done His sifting, His purging, His cleansing in the past season, that in the new year, His people will be ready to shift gears.

The prophets are declaring that the year 2013 is going to be a "life transition" year - a year when God's timing will be all about transitioning from the past year of barrenness and purging into a new year of provision and prosperity. But in order for this to happen, I have to align with God's transitions for me.

When we move in sync with God, the transition period can be shortened - so short that it can happen suddenly! It has been said that a "suddenly" occurs when God's timing intersects with God's Word. So it is crucial that we recognize and understand the times and the seasons, and that we also hear what God is saying. We would do well to be very sensitive to the moves of the Holy Spirit.

Today, when you hear His voice, harden not your heart...

God has done a beautiful cleansing in my heart the last month of 2012.

As this new year begins for me, I declare that my camels are coming. I am ready for a fresh start, for the new thing that the Lord is doing in my life.

This is the Lord's doing; 

it is marvellous in our eyes.

- Psalm 118:23

Sharing with you some recent family pictures:

Christmas Eve 2012

Christmas Eve 2012

Worshiper, Obedient, First Born and me

Christmas Eve 2012

Mother and Daughter

Christmas Eve 2012

Christmas Stockings from "Wawa Sue"

New Year's Eve 2012

Chosen and her mom, Madora
New Year's Eve 2012

enjoying fruits, veggie sticks and marshmallows dipped in hot chocolate
New Year's Eve 2012

me and my growing family
two sons, two daughters in love, one daughter, and two grandsons
(we also have three dogs, two are not in the picture)
New Year's Eve 2012


"Do not allow Christmas to be defined by your disappointment
but allow your disappointment to be forever changed because of Christmas."

(Joy! To Your World - A Countdown to Christmas on Bible App YouVersion)
Simply Surrender: Christmas Forever Changed